A Middle Eastern couple celebrating an early Valentine’s Day comes in late one night.

At dessert time the guy comes over to me and says:

“When we were young and growing up in Lebanon, we enjoyed this old movie very much. I wonder if you know any songs from The Sound of Music?”

I ask for their favorite one, and after a quick consult, they agree on Edelweiss.

As I play, I think how wonderful it is, that an American classic can be so internationally boarderless, and particularly specific to Edelweiss, how the ideas of identity, homeland and departure are still so resonant for today.

When I was recording with the trio this week, the first take was pretty uneven on my part because I could not hear myself in the studio.

So I asked for a pair of play-back headsets.

And when I could listen to the bass player and the drummer, things went pretty smoothly after that.

Likewise, I heard my ego tell me to attempt the bravado of squatting 315lbs, which I hadn’t done in a while, but I figured I could manage since I had only just deadlifted the same weight for three reps.

However, at 275lbs, I decided to listen to my body and stop. I ended up getting a good workout at that weight with two sets for three repetitions each set, and most importantly, no injuries.

Today, I heard a complete stranger (but regular) at the gym “feel the need to compliment” me on my weight loss.

I absolutely hate it when people display their ignorance. Especially when they have idea what I’m doing, or what process with which I’m engaged.

I have the feeling that this person wouldn’t dare to comment on a woman’s body in this day and age.